UE Students Use AI to Improve Accessibility for Evansville Sidewalks

Evansville, IN (09/30/2026) — Embodying the University of Evansville (UE) mission to think critically and serve responsibly, students are using artificial intelligence, robotics, and data science to improve sidewalk accessibility throughout the Evansville community.

Through Sidewalks4All, an innovative interdisciplinary project, students are developing technology to identify sidewalk conditions and accessibility barriers. They are guided by a dedicated faculty team leading their respective fields: Dr. Maxwell Omwenga and Dr. Ying Ying Seah in Computer Science, Dr. Jesus Osorio in Civil Engineering, and Dr. Hector Will in Electrical Engineering.

The project features "Gizmo," a GPS-equipped sidewalk-scanning robot built entirely by students. It uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to identify features such as curb ramps, crosswalks, obstacles, and surface conditions, aiming to create a comprehensive sidewalk quality map starting in Evansville's Promise Neighborhood.

Fostering an inclusive community, the project also features a mobile Walk Audit application (accessible via s4a.evansville.edu/) that empowers residents to report sidewalk issues like cracks and missing crosswalks. This community-submitted data trains the project's AI models while bringing citizens into the problem-solving process.

Sidewalks4All provides UE students with hands-on experience in cutting-edge tech while addressing a pressing local need, reflecting UE's core value of education for the whole person.

"What makes this project especially exciting is that our students are taking what they learn in the classroom and acting bravely to meet a real need in the community," said Dr. Maxwell Omwenga, assistant professor of computer science. "They are not just learning about AI and robotics. They are using those tools to better understand the challenges people face every day and develop solutions that help them live meaningfully."

The project has benefited from the engagement and feedback of stakeholders including UE, Evansville City Engineer, the Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Evansville Trails Coalition, and Circular Venture Lab, whose participation in student and planning meetings provided valuable perspectives throughout the project.

The University of Evansville is a private, comprehensive university with a solid foundation in the arts and sciences and professional schools in business, engineering, education, and health sciences. Established in 1854, UE is recognized across the globe for its rich tradition of innovative, academic excellence and dynamic campus community of #Changemakers.

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